How to Navigate a Wine List Without Faking It
2024-12-14 · 5 min read
The wine list at a nice restaurant is designed to be overwhelming. Pages of unfamiliar names, regions you cannot pronounce, and prices ranging from reasonable to absurd. The good news is that you do not need to know everything. You need to know how to communicate what you want, and the sommelier will do the rest. They are literally paid to help you find a wine you will enjoy.
Start by setting a budget without announcing it. Point to a wine in your price range and say something like, I am thinking about something in this style. The sommelier will understand you are indicating a price point without you having to state a number out loud. This is standard restaurant shorthand, and every good sommelier speaks it fluently.
Learn three useful phrases. By the glass lets you try before committing to a bottle. Something like this but different tells the sommelier you like a style and want to explore. What would you pair with this dish hands the decision to someone who tastes the menu regularly. These three phrases cover 90 percent of wine list interactions without requiring any technical knowledge.
If you want to explore, look for regions you do not recognize. The Loire Valley, Jura, and Beaujolais in France. Alto Adige and Sicily in Italy. Bierzo and Rias Baixas in Spain. These regions offer interesting wines at lower prices because they lack the name recognition of Bordeaux or Napa. The adventurous picks on a wine list are almost always the best values.
Never feel pressured to order the second-cheapest bottle, which is where restaurants park their highest-margin wine because they know people avoid the cheapest option. Instead, look at the middle of the list where sommeliers often place wines they personally love. Ask what the sommelier is excited about right now. That question almost always leads to the best bottle for your money.
